My research focuses on the development of self-regulation across the lifespan and the relationship between intentional self-regulation and positive developmental outcomes (especially Positive Youth Development). Because of the contextualized nature of human development, I am therefore also interested in the diverse ways thriving manifests in diverse cultural contexts. I have collaborated with teams from across the world (i.e., Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Global South) to translate, adapt, and/or develop contextually-relevant measures of youth thriving.

My research program also includes an emphasis on quantitative methodology, both as a tool for optimizing my empirical work and as a research domain in and of itself. As a substantive topic, my quantitative research focuses on latent variable and multilevel modeling techniques.

Spotlight

Staying Positive: Implications for Strengths-Based Approaches to Youth Development

Five CPHHS professors present on topics related to optimizing mental health across the adult lifespan. Each presenter has conducted research in the area they are speaking about and integrate results from their studies into the general theme of mental health across the lifespan.

Biography

I received my Ph.D. in Developmental and Quantitative Psychology from the University of Kansas. I then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University.